Identifying minute measurement



April 1947. R. PI TALBOT ,4 ,4

IDENTIFYING MINUTE MEASUREMENT Filed July 5, 19

/ 'FI I RLISEELL. F. TALE UT wwm Patented Apr. 1, 1947 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE IDENTIFYING MINUTE MEASUREMENT Russell .13. Talbot,Detroit, Mich. Application July 5, 1943, Serial No. 493,509

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to disclosing readily readable indications ofmeasurements.

This invention has utility in providing definite indication whenaccurate register is had between a pair of elements, one superposed overthe other, in proximity. Each element provides a general uniformappearance view area comprising opaque and contrasting or clearportions. With the clear portions of one of the elements transparent, anotation disclosing complementary area upon the other is adapted, uponrelative movement into register relation for the opaque on one toregister with the clear portions of the other to establish an opaquedisclosure of the notation.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the dial of an ammeter showing the registerposition therefor;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the fixedor stationary element normallyunobservable notations there- .along;

Fig. 3 is a .detail view, also with portions broken away, of theadjacent relativelyshiftable element, in entirety as to its area that ofthe general area of the elementof Fig. 2. except that in Fig. 3 thecomposite character .of .the area is thruout, while in Fig. 2 the areaslocal to the notations are complementary;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the asymmetrical backgroundarea of Fig. .3;

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4, but is complementary or reversetherefrom,in that Fig.4 may be construed as .a positive and Fig. 5 anegative. These complementary or negative regions or areas are thenotations in Fig. 2 in the bounds of the primary background or positiveof Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of primary background or positive of Fig.3, cleared for a character;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the negative or converse portion from thelocation cleared of positive in Fig. 6, and which is to be assembledtherewith into the element of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 discloses a 3 character notation of offregister position for thescale or indicator window of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a view of an aiming or survey instrument eye-piece area havingpositive and negative ring areas of complete inter-responsive characterthruout (and not local to a notation, such as Figs. '6, 7), withthreads, cross hairs or lines of usual engineering practice, whenslightly out of register, but pronounced in such showing;

Fig. 10 is another view 'of the device oTFig. 19, at accurate registerindication therefor, com- 2 parable with the showing of the notation 3Fig. 8;

Fig. ,11 is an embodiment hereunder wherein the major notations arereadily discerned as shifted past a window, say in a drum type of weightmeasuring scale, with accentuation feature at the unit positiontherefor;

.Fig. 12 shows a departure from unit register position for the equipmentof Fig. 11, wherein the extent of such intermediate point is clearlybrought out by the additional notation;

Fig. 13 is an embodiment of notations distributed in diiferent seriesover a more extended "area;

Fig. ,14 shows the window, say as a vertical dial, adapted to disclosenotation register in a complete direct reading, which may be in. minuteunits of length;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of a composite characterbackground of asymmetrical area produced by reticulation on a film base;

Fig. 16 is a View on converse or negative from the showing ,ofreticulation in Fig. 15; and

Fig. 17 shows the blocking ofi for the notations of the respectiveidentifying regions therefor to be assembled in ,Fig. 2.

More acceptable results for readily rendering the Operations hereunderdistinctive have followed :from having a background I (Fig. 4) withblack portions 2 and approximately equal extent of White portions ofareas 3. There is accordingly an area of symmetrical assembly ofasymmetrical zelements adapted separately to combine into a seeminglyregular background. The black and white area or pattern (Fig. .4) whenhaving a unit length dimension thereon one hundredth, or even onefiftieth as for instance 1 to .01" or .02", that as appearing distinct,changes the effect upon the naked eye for the two patterns of black andwhite to merge into a gray. The effect of the reduction is to impart thegray smooth appearance.

Reverse '4 (Fig. 5) has white portions 6 and black portions l, ascomplementary or counterparts from the portions 2, 3 (Fig. 4). Therelationship is of positive i (Fig. 4) and negative 4 (Fig. 5).

An area 8 (Fig. 6) of the background I, when the individual white andblack portions are reduced in areal extent, will have a smooth grayappearance, and may have a notation disclosing region 9 clearedtherefrom. When reduced to identical dimension in negative 4 foridentical register in counterpart with the area 8, at the cleared region9 location thereon, negative notation I is taken (Fig. 7). By this stepthere is produced an indicator element or strip II (Fig. 2). In thisinstance the strip II is taken as a fixed dial-sort of element having amedial marker or index line I2 extending therefrom. A framing window I3is provided (Fig. 1). Complemental patterns are along the strip II atdifferent spacings for the respective character notations, with a medialspread pattern complemental portion I4 (Fig. 2) from the line I2. Whenout of complemental relation, the pattern regions are not normallydistinguishable. As a registry is effected, the visibility ispronounced.

At the window I3, closely adjacent the strip II, is a strip I5 (Fig. 3)having an index I6. Fixed with the index I2 are scale markings I! (Fig.2). This strip I5, as Well as the general area of the strip H as awayfrom the notations and marker portion, is smooth or regular gray of thepositive I at the reduced dimension there- In practice, it is desirablein the cooperation as screen for one of the strips as to the other, thatthe strip as toward the observation side be a transparency at the clearor light regions. With a rear or back lighting as in electricalinstruments, and each strip transparent at the nonopaque regions, theregister and off-register amplifications are handled more expeditiously.

When there is register of like with like, as positive with positive agray region I8 (Fig. 1) comparable with the single ply showings of Figs.2, 3, 6, '7, is had. When there is departure from exact register, thereis disclosed the somewhat darker gray region I9 (Fig. 1). At theregister of a complementary region with its counterpart, the blacks ofone are on the whites or light portions of the other and there isresultant opaque 20 (Fig. 1) for exact, and 2| (Fig. 8) for the notationdisclosure of departure from registry, less distinctly shown by themarkings l'l, providing a supplemental check therefor.

For the purposes of aiming or locating a point, cross-hairs 22 (Fig. 9)from positive background ring 23, may be set as to a relativelyshiftable pair of similarly positioned cross hairs 24 of identicaldiameter counterpart or complementary ring 25. In the set-up local areasherein disclosed for irregular or relatively asymmetrical geometricalshapes, photographically reduced, the pair of transparencies II, I5,(Figs. 2 and 3), when assembled, may be in nearly if not actual contact'ing relation and the subject-matter hereof on such adjacent sides. Themarkings I! may be dispensed with, while the fineness of thegrainappearing structure is responsive even for almost invisibleshiftings to tally for register at proximity between the portions; thereis delicate accuracy. Accordingly in practice there may be a close setupin disclosing black ring 26 (Fig. for point location.

Readily read notations 21 (Fig. 11) may be shifted relative to a window28, having fixed line or index 29, supplemented with the complementaryblack marker 39 with marginal gray regions 3|, and a trailinghorizontally extending dial region 32 of more heavy gray 33. Off-unitshowing is clearly set forth by notation 34 (Fig. 12).

Notation carrying area 35 (Fig. 13) may be movable as to window 36 (Fig.14) for a gray background 31 at which a notation 38 may be disclosed.

The granular-approaching refinement hereunder is light-ray handlingwherein natural complemental areas or screens for affectingtranslucency, and including mutually interrelated or complementalpattern areas of materials having characteristics for complementaryregister. The

. shifting to a register may be at 90-irom the full ofi or maximumout-of-register relation. At the register, say to disclose a characteror outline, it may be opaque, as distinct from the greater translucencyto be observed in departures therefrom.

As departing from the relatively straight line hand-produced figures orshapes (Figs. 4, 5) areas of asymmetrical patterns have been developedby reticulation. An instance thereof is worked out by slightly exposingto light a photographic film, then by hardening and softening with warmwater treatment, the emulsion starts to creep on the film base and formsa pattern, in considerably enlarged outline 39 (Fig. 15). The practiceas thus far used has required quite a few stages. However, one may takethe pattern 39 as a positive for the dark or apaque portions, spaced bythe light portions or transparencies 49; and therefrom work thru for anegative with light vor transparent portions 4| and opaque portions 42(Fig. 16). The identical register here of converse or complementaryregions works toward opaque; for the similar patterns, of positiveadjacent positive there is a rather heavy gray; while for a region ofidentity of positive with positive there is a lighter gray This lightergray would also follow for identity in a region of negative withnegative.

The dial or tally markings I'I (Figs. 1, 2) have intermediate gaps orspacings. Considering the strip II is the negative, then the adjacentstrip I5 is also negative but so continuous thruout. However, the stripII, is made up of sections 43 (Fig. 17) from cut-out spacings 44 havingthe clearance between the markings I! (Figs. 1, 2).

On these respective areas of the sections 43, there may be clearedregions 9 (Fig. 6) for a notation character outline to have locatedthereina positive or, reverse I0 (Fig. 7) thereof. As so completed, thesections43, may be closed up to abut and thus omit the spacings 44. Theassembly is the strip II as built up or with copies therefrom. Theinitial strips I I, I5 are of identical length and character thruout.When completed, the cutdown length strip II, has its midpoint identicalwith the midpoint of the strip I5, which may then have its ends out 01f,the equivalent of the removed portions '44 from the strip I I.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

Y 1. The method of producing an indicator device, comprising forming apair of elements with general view areas of substantially uniformappearance thruout consisting of minute opaque portions andsubstantially equal clear portions; forming the minute portions of eacharea within the outline of a desired character notation substantiallycomplementary to each other; forming 'the remaining portions of saidareas substantially non-complementary, whereby when said elements aresuperposed, with said character outlines coinciding; said characternotation will appear substantially opaque and the remaining portionswill be of contrasting appearance.

2. The method of producing an indicator device as recited in claim 1,wherein the general view area of one of said elements is formed byreticulation.

3. An indicating device comprising a pair of superposed relativelymovable elements, each having a general view area of substantiallyuniform appearance throughout formed with minute opaque portions andsubstantiall" equal clear portions with the clear portions of at leastthe top member being transparent, the minute portions of each area,within the outline of a desired character notation being substantiallycomplementary to each other, and the remaining portions of said areasbeing substantially non-complementary, whereby when said superposedelements are arranged so that said character notation outlines aresuperposed. the character notation will appear substantially opaque andsaid remaining portions will be of contrasting appearance.

4. An indicating device as set forth in claim 3,

comprising a plurality of general view areas with individual characternotation outlines adapted to be successively superposed.

RUSSELL P. TALBOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS White Sept. 16, 1930

